The mail server has successfully accepted your request. This is the primary success response in SMTP, confirming that a command (HELO, MAIL FROM, RCPT TO, or DATA) was completed successfully.
What Does Error 250 Mean?
SMTP code 250 is the most important success code in email delivery. It confirms that the receiving server has accepted the command. During a typical SMTP transaction, you will see multiple 250 responses: after HELO/EHLO (server identification), MAIL FROM (sender accepted), RCPT TO (recipient accepted), and after DATA (message body accepted and queued for delivery).
The final 250 response after the DATA command is the one that matters most - it means the receiving server has accepted the message and queued it for delivery. Note that 250 after DATA does not guarantee inbox placement; the message may still be filtered to spam or rejected by content filters after acceptance. Providers like Gmail and Microsoft may accept a message with 250 and still place it in the spam folder based on reputation signals.
Common Causes
- Command executed successfully
- Email accepted for delivery (after DATA command)
- Recipient address validated and accepted
- Server identity (HELO/EHLO) accepted
How to Fix Error 250
- No fix needed - this is a success response
- If emails are accepted (250) but land in spam, check your sender reputation and authentication
- Use Sender Reputation Checker to verify your domain configuration
Frequently Asked Questions
SMTP 250 OK means the server successfully completed the requested action. It is the most common SMTP success response, issued after each accepted command during an email transaction -- typically appearing 4 to 6 times per message. A "250 OK" response to the final DATA command means the receiving server has accepted your email and taken responsibility for delivering it.
Not exactly. SMTP 250 confirms the receiving mail server accepted your message and queued it for delivery, but it does not guarantee inbox placement. After acceptance, the recipient's server may still route the email to the spam folder based on content filtering, sender reputation, SPF/DKIM/DMARC authentication results, or engagement history. Always monitor deliverability beyond the 250 response.
A 250 OK response only means the recipient's mail server accepted your message at the SMTP level. Spam filtering happens after acceptance, based on sender reputation, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), content quality, and recipient engagement. To fix this, verify your authentication records are properly configured, avoid spam-trigger words, and build positive sender reputation through consistent, engaged sending.
SMTP 250 typically appears 4 to 6 times during a single email transaction. The server returns 250 after each successful command: the EHLO greeting, MAIL FROM (sender), each RCPT TO (recipient), and the final DATA transmission. Each 250 response confirms that specific step was completed successfully before the conversation moves to the next command.